Blue Tongue disease in Europe

In late July 2026, new cases of blue‑tongue disease were confirmed in several German states, prompting authorities to establish 150‑kilometre restriction zones and place the cost of vaccinating herds on farmers. While a quarter of cattle had been immunised against the older strain, only a small fraction had received the newer BTV‑8 vaccine, leading to concerns over added expenses and logistics.

A week later, Portugal announced an amendment to its farm‑support scheme to compensate sheep owners for losses caused by the same disease. The measure provides a €48 payment for each dead animal to farms that could not vaccinate before the outbreak due to shortages, provided they complete vaccination by the end of November 2025 and record the actions. The aid, funded from a €500,000 budget, covers deaths recorded between June 2025 and January 2026.

Together, the two updates illustrate how the blue‑tongue outbreak is affecting livestock across Europe, prompting varied national responses: Germany imposing movement restrictions and cost‑sharing for vaccination, and Portugal expanding financial compensation to mitigate the impact on sheep producers.